17th Annual Moonlight Charity Challenge at Shawnee Peak Raises $23,000 for Camp Sunshine

Proceeds from charity event over the years have helped Camp Sunshine expand winter and spring programs

BRIDGTON, Maine (March 20, 2012) – The 17th annual Moonlight Charity Challenge at Shawnee Peak put the “fun” in fundraising with a raffle and a free day of skiing and snowboarding, helping raise more than $23,000 for Camp Sunshine in Casco.

The March 11 event hosted by Shawnee Peak and the Homer Family, and sponsored for the 11th year by Camp Sunshine supporter Downeast Energy, included a slope side barbeque for participants.

Funds were raised through the sale of raffle tickets with prizes including $3,500 in cash, prime Red Sox tickets and a season pass to Shawnee Peak. In an act of generosity, the winners of both top prizes donated them back to Camp Sunshine.

The event has raised more than $250,000 for Camp Sunshine since 2002 when the camp was named as a beneficiary. Funds have helped the Camp support and expand its winter and spring programming.

“The Moonlight Charity Challenge is a great event that is close to our heart here at Camp Sunshine,” said Matthew M. Hoidal, executive director of Camp Sunshine. “The money raised over the years has helped us expand our program in the winter and spring. And the match between Shawnee Peak and Camp Sunshine also has enabled us to build skiing into our winter program.”

Children and their families participating in Camp Sunshine’s winter program now spend a day skiing at Shawnee Peak, he said.

For additional information on Shawnee Peak, visit www.shawneepeak.com.

Hoidal also offered special thanks to Downeast Energy, the Homer Family Foundation, Migis Lodge, and all of the Camp Sunshine supporters who purchased raffle tickets.

Nestled alongside the shores of beautiful Sebago Lake, Camp Sunshine (www.campsunshine.org) provides children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a place to relax together for a week and to take a break from the extraordinary demands placed on them on a daily basis.

The year-round program is free of charge and staffed almost entirely by volunteers. It is the only program in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family.

Camp Sunshine recently received a coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s leading independent charity evaluator. The rating placed Camp Sunshine 39th in the country out of thousands of charities that were exhaustively analyzed for financial oversight, management and transparency.

About Camp Sunshine
Camp Sunshine offers children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a place to relax together for a week, and to take a break from the extraordinary demands placed upon them on a daily basis. The year-round program is free of charge and staffed almost entirely by volunteers. It is the only program in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family — the ill child, the parents and the siblings. Since its inception in 1984, Camp Sunshine has provided a haven for more than 32,000 individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. In addition to providing 24-hour on-site medical and psychosocial support, the camp offers a variety of daily activities, including swimming, boating, archery and soccer, and special events such as bonfires and cookouts. To support Camp Sunshine, please call (207) 655-3800 or visit www.campsunshine.org.

# # #

Here is more information about Camp Sunshine